Every week, Supercharged tackles a complex—and sometimes unusual—question about technology, science, psychology, and human existence to find out how we can approach life better in our rapidly changing world.

NanomedicineNanomedicine is the medical application of nanotechnology.[1] Nanomedicine ranges from the medical applications of nanomaterials and biological devices, to nanoelectronic biosensors, and even possible future applications of molecular nanotechnology such as biological machines. Current problems for nanomedicine involve understanding the issues related to toxicity and environmental impact of nanoscale materials (materials whose structure is on the scale of nanometers, i.e. billionths of a meter).

RespirocyteRespirocytes are hypothetical, microscopic, artificial red blood cells that can emulate the function of its organic counterpart, only with 200 times the efficiency, so as to supplement or replace the function of much of the human body's normal respiratory system. Still entirely theoretical, respirocytes would measure 1 micrometer in diameter. In the original paper by Robert Freitas, titled, "A Mechanical Artificial Red Blood Cell: Exploratory Design in Medical Nanotechnology" (1998), it was proposed that respirocytes would mimic the action of the natural hemoglobin-filled red blood cells.[1] The proposed design of the spherical nanorobot is made up of 18 billion atoms arranged as a tiny pressure tank, which would be filled up with oxygen and carbon dioxide,[2] making one complete transfer point at the lungs, and the reverse transfer at the body's tissues.

Optical neural interfaces.Genetically encoded optical actuators and indicators have changed the landscape of neuroscience, enabling targetable control and readout of specific components of intact neural circuits in behaving animals. Here, we review the development of optical neural interfaces, focusing on hardware designed for optical control of neural activity, integrated optical control and electrical readout, and optical readout of population and single-cell neural activity in freely moving mammals.

Help David get a nickname!On the real episode 100, Darren asked why I didn't have a nickname and he and Adam came up with "sub-bottom" for me, which I can't say that I'm crazy about. After thinking about it, it occurred to me that growing up I didn't really have a nickname that stuck (it was usually some abbreviation of my last name). I figured maybe I'd try to "crowd-source" getting a nickname for myself, so I'm looking to you guys for suggestions. What do you think?